Paramount, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Paramount, CA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Review deadline
- 60 calendar days after a completed application, then deemed approved
- Governing section
- Paramount Municipal Code § 17.104.050(A)
- Maximum new-build size
- 800 square feet where the dwelling is 1,600 square feet or less
- Setbacks
- Four feet rear and side for detached ADUs (§ 17.104.140)
- Height caps
- 16, 18 or 25 feet depending on unit type
- Latest amendment
- Ord. 1191, adopted January 14, 2025
Summary
In the City of Paramount, California, an application for an ADU or JADU is approved ministerially, with no discretionary review or hearing. The City and its permitting agencies must approve or deny a completed application within 60 calendar days, and silence past day 60 means the application is deemed approved and a building permit issued.
A. A permit application for an ADU or a JADU shall be considered and approved ministerially without discretionary review or a hearing. The City and any associated permitting agencies, including, but not limited to, applicable planning departments, building departments, consultants or contractors working as agents of the City, utilities, and special districts, shall approve and issue a building permit or deny the application to create or serve an ADU or a JADU within 60 calendar days after receiving a completed application if there is an existing primary dwelling on the lot and if it meets the minimum ADU and JADU standards of Chapter 17.104 of the Paramount Municipal Code. If the City and any associated permitting agency has not approved or denied the completed application within 60 days, the application shall be deemed approved and a building permit issued for its construction.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 17.104 of the Paramount Municipal Code was adopted to comply with California Government Code Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22, and the City states that it does not intend to unreasonably restrict homeowners from creating ADUs where local ordinance allows them. Section 17.104.040 permits ADUs in all residential zones and all mixed-use zones that allow residential uses. JADUs are only permitted on lots with existing or proposed single-family dwellings, and new ADUs are not permitted in commercial or manufacturing zones. Section 17.104.110 removes lot size as a barrier.
The review clock in section 17.104.050 is the core of the chapter. If the City denies an application it must send a list of defective or deficient items within the 60-day period, with a description of how to fix them. The clock pauses while an applicant requests a delay or holds a corrected application, and the file is closed if no corrected application arrives within one year. A demolition permit for a detached garage being replaced by an ADU is reviewed with the ADU application, issued at the same time as the building permit, and needs no written notice or posted placard.
Size and form limits follow. Under section 17.104.100, new construction can reach up to 800 square feet where the existing or proposed dwelling is 1,600 square feet or less, a studio or one-bedroom unit is capped at 850 square feet, and units with two or more bedrooms are capped at 1,000 square feet. Conversions of existing space are exempt from size limits. Section 17.104.120 sets height caps of 16, 18 and 25 feet depending on the unit type, with no more than two stories of livable space. Detached ADUs need at least four-foot rear and side setbacks under section 17.104.140 and a six-foot separation from the dwelling or any accessory structure under section 17.104.130. Section 17.104.070 requires the design, materials and color to match the existing or proposed dwelling.
Violations & Fines
Section 17.104.230 requires an existing ADU the City has not approved to obtain approval before it counts as a lawful use. An application for an unpermitted ADU built before January 1, 2018 is not denied for building standards violations unless correction is needed to protect health and safety. A trailer, motor vehicle or recreational vehicle cannot be used as an ADU. Code violations fall under the general penalty in section 1.04.150.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does Paramount have to act on an ADU permit?
Where are ADUs allowed in the City of Paramount?
Do I have to replace parking when a garage becomes an ADU?
Can I build more than one ADU on a multifamily lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Paramount
How Paramount compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·California rules heatmap·Compare Paramount to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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How other cities in Los Angeles County handle adu rules.